The 20 Best Albums Of 2008

Tony Cummings and Mike Rimmer survey all the releases to find the best Christian music albums of 2008

HANNAH ATKINS - Falling
(Independent)This is actually the second album from
Manchester-based Hannah who creates what can only be described as
impossibly beautiful ethereal pop music. Imagine something between
Enya and Kate Bush and you'll get in the right ball park. Topping the
creative production and arrangements is Hannah's expressive and
plaintive voice. The album is the best example of a grower that I've
heard all year where its charms become more apparent the more you
listen. From the drifting title track to the lush "If Life Were Some
Music" to the soulful "Poetic Dreams", Hannah is one of the few female
artists I've heard this year with the talent to take on the many
mainstream singer/songwriters.Mike Rimmer

LIC - Awesome
(Independent)It's taken this talented team of Afro
R&B gospel musicians a long time to gain much national attention
but maybe now the great church-going public will finally wake up to
what the congregation at London's Liberty Christian Fellowship church
have known for years - these guys are HOT. Nigerian rhythms are
artfully fused with sassy R&B grooves and seasoned with the
occasional pinch of hip-hop. Earlier this year the Cross Rhythms
reviewer selected the cuts "You're Blessed" and "Let's Dance", Cross
Rhythms radio programme controller went for "Draw The Line" and
"Awesome" while the Christian Broadcasting Council plumped for the
whole album as R&B/Gospel Album Of The Year. One thing everyone is
agreed on though LIC (Living Is Christ) are a class act.Tony
Cummings

THE WELCOME WAGON - Welcome
To The Welcome Wagon (Asthmatic Kitty)The Welcome Wagon
are the Reverend Thomas Vito Aiuto and his wife Monique, who create a
gorgeous rambling folk gospel that reminds the listener of the
tradition of American sacred song. The collaboration with Sufjan
Stevens, who produced the album, means that comparisons to Stevens'
work are inevitable and yet there's something of the naivety and
simplicity of the Aiutos' faith that shines through here. You have to
admire the mix of hymns, original songs and well chosen covers. I love
their version of the Velvet Underground's "Jesus" and the way they've
reworked "Half A Person", the song by The Smiths. It's a beautifully
unusual album, simultaneously clever and simple.Mike
Rimmer

NATALIE GRANT - Relentless
(Curb)It's taken quite a while for Natalie to rise to
her present position as America's most popular Christian female singer
but with albums as strong as this one clearly the plaudits and album
sales are deserved. Natalie has an exceptional voice able to adopt a
husky, breathy tone for percussive pop numbers but then throw back her
head for blue-eyed soul emoting on gospel-tinged balladry. The
production here, from husband Bernie Herms, is top rate while whether
Natalie is handling a soft piano-led ballad like "Make A Way
(Brittany's Song)", a power pop song with an R&B groove on "Make
It Matter" or her current Cross Rhythms radio hit "Let Go", the effect
is consistently good. Tony Cummings£9.97 at Cross Rhythms Direct

MATTHEW WEST - Something To
Say (Sparrow)Matthew is by all accounts an extremely
prolific songwriter and that works well for him here because for every
song selected there are probably another two rejected and the snag
with so many singer/songwriter projects - two or three memorable songs
and several tracks of filler - is skilfully avoided. In fact, the
songwriting craft here is exceptional. A staggering seven tracks have
been selected for the Cross Rhythms playlist and from the upbeat
"Something To Say" to the powerful "Stop The World" this is Nashville
pop executed with the skill of a true artist.Tony
Cummings£9.97 at Cross Rhythms Direct

NEWWORLDSON - Salvation
Station (Inpop)Who would have thought that a bunch of
Canadians playing music in a bar could end up being one of the
breakthrough bands of 2008 but that's exactly what's happened for
Newworldson. The unassuming quartet formed when they got a residency
in a club and told the owner they wanted to play gospel. Musically
they were so strong that the punters loved them and the band grew from
there. The album captures them blending a mixture of gospel, blues,
soul, jazz, pop and the results are extremely catchy. Despite the old
school influences, the resulting music sounds modern and fresh.
"Workin' Man" became a Cross Rhythms radio favourite and you can't
fault the vibe on "Babylon Is Gonna Fall" or the amazing "Sweet Holy
Spirit". A poppy commercial success for a band with the musical and
spiritual chops to take this far!Mike Rimmer£9.97 at Cross Rhythms Direct

GUVNA B - The Narrow Road
(Independent)With an infectious mix of sounds, Guvna B
is the first of the acts from the London-based gospel hip-hop/grime
scene to deliver a full length album but expect a slew of releases in
2009. Guvna B certainly manages to create plenty of hooks and funky
grooves that catch the ear and one bona fide phenomenon, "Kingdom
Skank", which caught loads of attention from the hip-hop underground
earlier in the year. The track gave me a shimmer of pleasure during
the summer when I played it to some American friends who had never
before heard anything like it. The whole album is jam packed with
gems.Mike Rimmer

The opinions expressed in this article are
not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed
views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may
not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a
later date.

I'm reading Crossrhythms since 1996 and found a lot of good
music because of your reviews and articles. (It is strange
but in my opinion a big part of the very best christian cds
you cannot find in regular christian bookshop) Every year
I'm waiting for this list with the best albums because I
know that I will find there one or two very good albums that
I have missed during the year. This time it is 'The Welcome
Wagon'. This band is really cool alternative music on one
hand and on the other it is deep (in a way very old)
christian music. And that they included cover versions of
Velvet Underground and The Smith makes it even cooler and
more obscure. A few years ago after reading this list I
bought 'Illinoise' by Sufjan Stevens, the producer of the
Welcome Wagon. This cd is also very good. I personaly would
have included in this list 'The live experience' by Keith
Green. These recordings are very old (but have never been
released before) and for me it is the deepest christian
music that I have ever heard. Sometimes you have Jesus Music
from the seventies because one or two years ago I found in
this list the All Saved Freak Band. (And I like their music
after reading about them in your magazin)